FARMERS CRITICISE BROADCASTING POLICY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 155, 21 September 1927, Page 16

FARMERS CRITICISE BROADCASTING POLICY

"TIME FOR FIRM STAND” Further discussion on the refusal of the broadcasting authorities to allow on the air an address prepared by the late president of the Auckland executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr. C. C. Munro, took place at a union executive meeting last evening. A FURTHER communication was received from the Postmaster-Gen-eral in which it was stated, inter alia, that “it was not the policy of the department to allow the broadcasting of the opinions or policies of societies.” Mr. W. H. Allen said that recently a lecture boosting the North, and in particular, a. tract of land in which a certain person was interested, had been broadcast. When such conditions prevailed it was time the union took a firm stand. Mr. R. Feisst considered that the farmers had been insulted. In Australia recently the policies of three political parties had been broadcast. Mr. C. C. Munro said the position was absolutely untenable and it set one wondering if the views oi the people were not to be available for broadcasting. Captain Rushworth moved that a reply be sent to the Minister stating that it was not considered that his reply was any more satisfactory than the last. Mr. A. W. Macky, in seconding the resolution, asked why it was that if the broadcasting company was not to broadcast policies and views of societies, every Sunday night religious services were put on the air? Captain Colbeck: You don’t call God Almighty a society, do you? Mr. Macky: I won’t take you up there, but there is nothing more contentious than religion, and if the regulations are broken there why should the Farmers’ Union be barred? The resolution was carried.